THE drinks company say their first production run of 16,000 tins has been snapped up by wholesalers, with huge demand for their new product from around the world.

A Michelin-starred chef believes the quantity is just right for his fine dining recipes.

And the release of Buckfast in cans is about to take the controversial drink to a new level of sophistication – tonic wine cocktails for the classy kind of drinker with a taste for the hard stuff, like TV Mad Men’s Don Draper.

After the Sunday Mail last week revealed plans to produce the drink in tins, wholesalers have snapped up the whole first production run of 16,000 cans.

Outlets in Glasgow, Stirling, Irvine, Ayr and Dundee as well as in Ireland and England have bought the entire allocation of the fortified wine made by the monks of Buckfast Abbey.

Our story on how the firm were launching cans of the wine – blamed by critics for violence and anti-social behaviour, particularly in Lanarkshire – led to orders from around the world.

Sales boss Stewart Wilson, of Buckfast’s distribution firm J Chandler, said the firm even had inquiries from China.

Buckfast bottle and the new cans

He said: “Things just went crazy after the story. We’ve had so many wholesalers get in touch that all 51 pallets available have already been sold. I knew it was going to be popular but I didn’t expect that reaction.

“Another contact of mine even wanted some for his bar in Ibiza.

“Some of our wholesalers were keen to take the entire order but we did the sale on an allocation basis to customers who already buy the Buckfast bottles.

“The can is designed for people looking to enjoy a drink in their back garden and can be diluted.

“It is also lovely when added to prosecco or champagne as the sweetness of the Buckfast contrasts with the dryness.”

The cans will go on sale by the end of June at around £2.90.

Depending on its popularity, the firm will decide whether to add it permanently to their range.

Police and politicians have criticised the wine for fuelling trouble.

But the company, who say the drink is no more or less dangerous than any other, claim the cans are a response to a call from the Scottish Government for booze to be sold in smaller measures. Drinkers will also be directed to a website featuring Buckfast food recipes by Michelin-starred chef Martin Blunos.

Blunos said: “Buckfast is an amazing ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes.”

But the cans have drawn criticism from the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems organisation who claim people will drink all the contents in one go whereas they could close a bottle.